Uriyadi 2, which is produced by Suriya, does work effectively as a political thriller as well as a disaster movie.
Uriyadi 2 review: Politically loaded, relevant, but not quite hard-hitting
Cinestaan Rating
Release Date: 05 Apr 2019 / Rated: U / 01hr 59min
Haricharan Pudipeddi | Chennai, 06 Apr 2019 15:50 IST
When Uriyadi (2016), featuring mostly newcomers, was released, it took many by surprise on account of its raw presentation. The film was born out of the current generation’s frustration about society and was instantly relatable as it was set against the college backdrop of caste-based politics.
Uriyadi 2, which has been released three years later, could be considered the spiritual sequel to Uriyadi. It is a politically loaded disaster film which is set against the backdrop of a leak in a chemical plant and its aftermath.
Uriyadi 2 works effectively as a political thriller as well as a disaster movie. The story centres on Lenin Vijay, a carefree youngster with a very high social conscience. Lenin and his friends land jobs at a chemical plant that has for long posed a serious environmental threat to the people living nearby.
With their new jobs, they dream of a better life, but two tragic accidents put a dent on their dreams. It doesn’t take much time for Lenin to realize that poor maintenance is the reason for the accidents. Lenin warns the authorities, people and local leaders of the situation, but nobody really takes him seriously.
When he takes up the issue with the plant owner, Lenin learns that he has already set his eyes on another project which will yield him even more profits. The local leaders are more interested in the upcoming election and are least bothered about the people. Eventually, when a leak occurs at the plant, it costs many lives.
Uriyadi 2 borrows its premise from the infamous Bhopal gas tragedy of December 1984. It adds a socio-political layer to the disaster angle to make the narrative riveting, and it works, more or less. Tamil cinema hasn’t tried its hand at making a disaster movie, and Uriyadi 2, which is produced by Suriya, is truly one of its kind in this aspect and makes for a relevant watch.
At a crisp runtime of just two hours, Uriyadi 2 keeps the tension alive till the end. The sequences involving the disaster and its aftermath have been handled in a realistic fashion, elevating the overall viewing experience.
Though the film gets slightly melodramatic at times, it is still watchable as it doesn’t take a needless detour in an attempt to play to the gallery. It is as a political thriller that Uriyadi 2 doesn’t quite make an impact, though it asks all the right questions.
In the film, Lenin takes matters into his own hands when a solution can’t be reached. This kind of approach worked in Uriyadi when the problem the protagonist faced was personal, but here it involves the lives of so many and this move makes no sense.